i DID enjoy the game (probably mostly because i was in the chat which was fun), but these three complaints absolutely sum up the most frustrating points. i know marbury's a great player, that's fine. but he doesn't get 41 on everybody! and what about curry?? is someone willing to tell me that he's as good as shaq ten years ago -- cause that's what he looked like. we were absolutely retarted on paint defense tonight -- a disappointment after our improvement in that area over the past few weeks. it took about a year for us to start doubling in the post (a simple, no brain adjustment that the knicks were totally unable to deal with. i'd have to see the game again, but i think just about everyone of our runs was triggered by a knick turnover after a pistons double team in the post.

which brings me to "at-sea note", whose worthlessness on defense is becoming more and more apparent. he creates so many problems for the bigs by his inability to stay in front of his man and his weird floating rotations to nowhere land. when he doesn't execute on good judgment plays and on top of that makes poor decisions with the game on the line, it's hard to see mr b.s.'s upside (but no, i haven't forgotten all he's done over the past few years). a personal gripe here: that %%%%-eating grin after the foul on marbury's triple try (from about 50 feet!!) drove me up the wall. i get that he was probably embarrassed (assuming he's capable of that feeling), but it seems too much of a piece with the smooth persona that never admits anything is wrong with his game. how do you get better with that attitude?

finally, somebody tell me how 6-11 guys can miss dunks. i mean, really, convince me that it's acceptable. i'm not talking about missed taps from four feet away with eddy curry hanging on your shoulder. those i get. but missed dunks, missed layups....oy!! how much energy does it take to get your body -- what? -- ten inches off the ground and drop a ball into the basket?? IT'S THEIR JOB!!! making excuses for that is just lame. like me not turning in grades at the end of the semester. i mean i'm worn out at that time of year too. but it's my job and it doesn't take a whole lot of energy or skill to type in the letters and click "submit" on the computerized grade sheet.

okay now that i've ruined the excellent succinctness of lpgrl's complaints by venting, let me add that the game itself had plenty of enjoyable things: for me the ones that stand out most were 1) delfino's hustling d in the 2nd quarter which then turned into smokin' shootin' late in the game (more than his tying triple, i liked his shot in the first ot where he faked the three, shortened the shot with a couple of dribbles, and buried a 20 footer); 2) dice's numerous offensive board put backs, lots of energy from him, like he'd finally found something to do out there on the floor, and of course 3) rip's rolling energy and efficiency throughout. nazr would get more love from me in this game (he did some things very well and i just like the guy) if he hadn't made curry look like -- well -- wilt chamberlain, or amir johnson.

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